Middletown 'Lord of the Rings' fan launches campaign to get spot in 'Hobbit' film (video)

CLAIRE MICHALEWICZ

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12:00 am EDT, Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Catherine Avalone

Catherine Avalone

Photo: TheMiddletownPress

Photo: TheMiddletownPress

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Catherine Avalone

Catherine Avalone

Photo: TheMiddletownPress

Middletown 'Lord of the Rings' fan launches campaign to get spot in 'Hobbit' film (video)

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MIDDLETOWN - Patrick Spadaccino is really, really excited about Peter Jackson's upcoming "Hobbit" films. So excited, in fact, that he's launched an online campaign to try to get in the film - even as an extra.

On his website, Spadaccino explains why he loves J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel so much, then he dons orc makeup and auditions. His goal is to get Peter Jackson to see his site.

Spadaccino, who works as a web designer at Travelers, said 'The Hobbit' is his all-time favorite book. He said he first read it when he was 10 or 11, when an uncle came downstairs with a battered paperback in his hand and said "You have to read this."

Because of the novel's second-person narrative, Spadaccino said, "It almost felt like he was telling the story to you." Plus, he said, the book contains goblins and battles and big spiders, which appealed to him at that age.

The film, a prequel to Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, started filming in New Zealand on March 31. Around that time, Spadaccino started his website, after he heard about a contest on a film blog that would highlight one person who wanted to be in the films.

Since Spadaccino is a web designer, he decided to put his skills to use and make his own site. He ordered a latex orc mask online, then painted it himself and applied it to audition.

In full orc makeup, complete with prosthetic ear tips, Spadaccino took to his basement to record himself in front of a green screen he set up. He performed some scenes as an orc, and another as a goblin. Goblins, he said, don't speak much in the book, so he wrote his own goblin monologues.

Spadaccino said he's willing to take any part in the film, though he's probably too tall to be a hobbit. He chose orcs and goblins, though, because he likes playing villains and other characters that are different from himself.

Now that his site is up and running, Spadaccino is trying to spread the word through social media (Click HERE for his Facebook page and HERE for his Twitter account). He's contacted both Jackson's agent and manager, but hasn't heard back yet.

Even though the movies are already filming, Spadaccino said he plans to keep campaigning until the very end. He said he's not doing this because he wants to change careers or become famous, but because he's passionate about the book and the film that Jackson is making of it.

"I'm not trying to be a movie star," he said. "I'm happy with my life, my job."

"It's as close to an honest goal as you can get for something like this," he said. "So I'm hoping that they see something in the videos, in my explanation of what the Hobbit means to me and say 'I think this guy could contribute.'"

Spadaccino has done some acting before, mostly in community theater. He just landed a part in the musical 'Curtains' at the Simsbury Theater Guild. Throughout his life, he's also worked in radio and published a novel.

Jennifer Goldberg, one of Spadaccino's coworkers at Travelers, said Spadaccino had approached her at every step of the process, to explain what he wanted to do with the website. At first, Goldberg said, she was skeptical. But when she saw the dedication that Spadaccino put into the videos, she was impressed. She said she's shown the site to her family and friends, and their reactions have all been positive.

"They all think it's great," Goldberg said. "They're very impressed with everything that went into it."

"He's just really motivated," said another coworker, Tina Severson. "When he gets into something, he really gets into it."

Severson said she enjoys working with Spadaccino, and she's eager to see if his campaign is a success.

"He's the kind of person you really want to be around," she said.

Spadaccino said he isn't sure how the film's casting agents would react if they saw his website, but he's confident that he'd make some sort of impression.

"I don't think they would question my passion," he said.

And if he does manage to get a part, he said, he'd be ecstatic.

"My reaction would be gratitude," he said. "They are obviously in no great need of a guy from Connecticut."

"I would hope that I would be near my wife," he said. "We would have quite a celebration." Spadaccino said his wife, Natalie, wants to come to New Zealand with him if he does succeed in getting a part.

But even if he doesn't get a part, he said, the experience would still be worth it.

"If nothing else, I did it," he said. "I had an idea and I did it. And I also got to pay homage to my favorite book in a fun, creative way."

"And I'll still be in line on opening day," he added.

Claire Michalewicz can be reached by email at cmichalewicz@middletownpress.com. Text MIDNEWS to 22700 to get news alerts directly to your cell phone. Standard messaging and data rates apply.